GOP Officials in Michigan Learn a Lesson About Being Prepared

The folks at the Michigan Republican Party knew their primary was going to be close Tuesday night — so they prepared two congratulatory press releases — one for use if John McCain won — and the other for Mitt Romney. So when media outlets named Romney the winner around 9 p.m. — they hit the button — and sent out the release for — McCain.

It read, "In a close-fought victory, Senator John McCain succeeded again in the Michigan Republican primary."

Five minutes later — they hit the other button — the right one this time — and sent out a second release — "In a close-fought victory, native son Governor Mitt Romney won an important contest here tonight."

Be Nice

President R. Jeremiah Ryan of Bergen Community College in New Jersey wants students and staff to sign what's called a "responsibility code" — or else."The Bergen County Record reports the pledge requires them to — "embrace and celebrate differing perspectives" — "build an inclusive community enriched by diversity" and help what are called the "less fortunate."

But students, faculty and free speech advocates are saying the oath is unconstitutional and is political correctness gone amok. One professor says — "It asks you to pledge things that no rational person would. You can't require people to respect one another... There are some views that don't deserve respect."

A federal magistrate has barred the University of California from enforcing a similar code.

The faculty complaints at Bergen may be registering. President Ryan has backed off a bit — saying that he may opt for what he called an "aspirational" statement — and not a code.

To the Rescue

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a court brief supporting Republican Senator Larry Craig in his fight to withdraw a guilty plea —relating to his alleged solicitation of sex from a police officer in a Minneapolis airport restroom last June.

The ACLU says what Craig allegedly did was not illegal — because people who have sex in public restrooms have an expectation of privacy. And it cited a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling 38 years ago that said pretty much the same thing. Craig has denied that he was soliciting sex — saying his actions were misconstrued.

Strike Out

And Republican Congressman Christopher Shays is being ridiculed by sportswriters and broadcasters over what one called "an embarrassing laundry list of mistakes" during Tuesday's committee hearing on steroids in baseball. Shays has been one of the reform committee's most vocal critics of baseball.

Shays mispronounced the name of ballplayer Rafael Palmeiro — who shook his finger at Congress members three years ago and denied using steroids — only to have a test show up positive. Shays called him "Palmeiree" — and referred to the time when Palmeiro "conducted" his milestone "300th" hit. In fact it was Palmeiro's 3,000th hit.

And Shays made a comparison between the steroids scandal and baseball's ultimate black eye moment — when the 1919 Chicago White Sox team allegedly threw the World Series in what is known as the "Black Sox" scandal. Shays called the team the "Black Hawks."

Shays response to the mistakes and the criticism — "I could care less." Presumably he meant that he could not care less.